


heaven can't help me now

by ValerieInWonderland



Series: riverdale x lyrics [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 02:23:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10584450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValerieInWonderland/pseuds/ValerieInWonderland
Summary: in their 10 years reunion, veronica decides to tell betty and kevin what really happened between her and cheryl.or cheryl/veronica story through 'wildest dreams' by taylor swift





	

**Author's Note:**

> so i came up with this while searching for lyrics to base my fics on.  
> i plan on doing this story actually a trilogy, and this is the 2nd part, so i'll be posting one prequel and a sequel to this story.
> 
> it's loosely based on the lyrics of 'wildest dreams' by taylor swift, i started with it in mind but then i turned it to something else, but i still kept the essence of it.
> 
> (sorry for any mistakes, still don't have a beta)

“It was our last week in Riverdale when she asked me to runaway with her. She said ‘Let’s get out of this town, drive away from this god damned city’.” The brunette laughed remembering how eager her ex-girlfriend seemed when she came up with the idea “She thought that by running away we’d still be together and of course all I could say was yes. All I wanted to do was spend all my time with her, like we had no tomorrow” Veronica zoned out for a moment, remembering how she felt back then “even if I already knew at the time that our days were numbered.”

“Then why you did it?" Betty inquired, leaning towards her best friend, intrigued. _How come she never heard this story before?_

Veronica signed “Because B, I loved her so much and we were young and rebel and I don’t know-- I never wanted that to end.”

“And how come you’re only telling any of us about it now?” Kevin asked, like reading Betty's mind.

“Honestly, I don’t know guys," Veronica wasn't really sure why she didn't mentioned it when it occurred or why she was telling them now, after so long, but she just felt like it was the right thing to do "Either way I thought she would be here and I was a little bit scared to see her after so long and suddenly she’s not coming and all I can think about is what happened that summer and I’ve felt so overwhelmed and I needed to share it or--"

Betty interrupted by reaching out and touching the brunette's arm “Slow down V” she gave it a little squeeze “And I’m sorry she’s not coming. Polly said that Cheryl’s flight got delayed and she’s stuck in LA”

“I think that’s for the best. I don’t think I’d be able to face her again, after all I’ve put her through…”

Betty narrowed her eyes “V, it’s been 10 years…” She was used seeing her friend regularly and Cheryl was never a subject. She could count on one hand how many times they've mentioned the redhead's name since Veronica moved to the Big Apple, and none were in the past 6 years. "Why--?"

“I know B, I know” Veronica sipped from her wine “It feels like I’m a teenager all over again” Betty smiled affectionately towards her.

Kevin watched the exchange between the two girls silently “So, that’s it?” he asked exasperated after a while “You ran away then you guys broke up? No, I need details about this infamous week right now.”

Veronica chuckled at her friend excitement, she missed them so very much, even though she was used seeing Betty as they live in the same city nowadays, but unfortunately not exactly on a regular basis, as the blonde is now a journalist for the New York Times and she's always covering news abroad. But Kevin she only got to see a few times, when she's in France as now he lives in Paris with his boyfriend, Pierre, working as a English teacher.

She has very little contact with the rest of the people she went to high school with, except for Jughead, that's now married to her best friend so she sees every once a week. Even now that the beanie boy is a well-known respected bestseller author he still finds trouble making acquaintances, so over the years he developed a steady friendship with Veronica and now they along with Betty go on a burger-date every month when the blonde's in town, where they look for different diners in NYC in memory of good old Pop Tate's.

The exception extended too for Josie McCoy. The girl broke-up from the Pussycats about 4 years ago and now was living the dream as a solo singer. She's also living in Manhattan, so they'd club every now and then when the singer was not on tour.

Now for the ones she rarely see was Archie Andrews, that she only saw exactly 6 times since they've ended high school. One time at Betty's and Jug's weeding, four times when the Pussycats played at Madison Square Garden and he was there to support his fiancée Valerie and tonight. He tried the musician thing but once he was out in the real world he quit finding it too difficult, but didn't went too far and now is a very well-known producer residing in LA.

The only person she actually never saw was Cheryl, since the day she left her in a motel in Nevada. She tried so hard no to stalk the girl, but it was kind difficult as the redhead was now one of Hollywood’s sweethearts.

Veronica restrained herself of going to the premieres of her former girlfriend when it happened in New York, afraid to have to face her again, but as soon as the next day was up, there Veronica was, sitting in the middle seat of a small cinema, enjoying one of Cheryl’s movies. She saw every work the redhead had acted in. She even had hidden in her closet the box of the re-make in real life of the  _Scooby-Doo series_ , where Cheryl’s played Daphne. It was kind juvenile but it was the redhead first role, ever. She was so proud of her when she heard the girl got the part. It was a huge success.

But Veronica’s life didn’t resume only about feeling nostalgic of a certain redhead, no. It’s true she never “ _found love_ ” again after that, but it didn’t mean she was always alone. In matter of fact, Veronica Lodge was one of the most desirable bachelorette in the state of New York. She was already, with only 27 years old, one of the most famous names in the fashion industry. She graduated from FIT with honors and even if she was initially going for designer, she decided that running a magazine was more like her.

Not that she was running one right now, but the truth is that she was only a few months to be promoted co-editor of Teen Vogue, but what she was really aiming was to become Vogue’s first openly lesbian editor-in-chief. And you may say that she's too naïve to dream about it, but when even Anna Wintour herself shortly before dying in a tragic accident met the brunette and saw the potential in her, you know that the Latina will have a bright future ahead of her.

And everyone wanted a piece of Veronica, of course. So, it’s not really a surprise when every week at least three girls is seeing leaving the brunette’s penthouse. She used to joke about how she wanted to have as many fans as she could and the easiest way to do it was by screwing them, but the fact was that since Cheryl, she wasn’t able to maintain a relationship that lasted more than a couple months, so when she noticed this pattern she just gave up trying and went back to screwing as many girls she could recruit to her fan base.

Now they were in their 10 years reunion of the class of 2018 in Riverdale and Veronica already had the chance of catch up with everyone. She did jelly shots with Reggie, was a groupie to the one-night-only reunion of Josie and the Pussycats singing every song by heart, promised to hook Ether with a fashion tour when she went to NYC and subtly reminded Chuck Clayton how he had ended his live impregnating one of their classmates right after he tried his way with Veronica and now was stuck in old boring Riverdale, where nothing new ever happened.

And since the only person she was eager the most to see was not going to show up, all she wanted was to spend quality time with her favorite partners in crime. They've already talked about everything, from Kevin's enormous list of celebrities he met to Betty's recent trip to India to now Veronica's love life that somehow turned out to be more about her turbulent relationship with one of the Blossom's twins than anything else.

Veronica waved to one of the former River Vixens that passed by their table before returning her attention to her friends.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell ya” she waited a while longer to create a certain mystery and gaining in return angry features from her friends faces, making her speak again “Well, we ran away the very next day she said it, without really having a place in mind. She went to my house and my mum had already left with daddy to London, so we had no problem getting out. We got into her car, without the retractable roof, and she hold my hand and gave me that typical Cheryl wicked smile and we followed to the sunset like those cliché movies, you know?” she smiled, fond of the memory “She looked so beautiful with the wind in her hair; that shine orange glowing.” Betty caught Veronica’s hand between her own and gave it a squeeze when she noticed a tear rolling in the Latina’s face “I’m alright B. It’s just-- I loved that hair so much, it was one of the first things that made me fall for her.”

“Anyway,” she recomposed herself “we kept driving for hours straight, our first stop was when we saw a  _Pop Tate’s_  alike on the side of the road. I was starving and craving my double chocolate milkshake, so we stopped by to eat. It turned out that Cheryl’s was hungry too… but for another kind of thing, and then I don’t remember how, just that we ended up in the diner’s bathroom doing it.”

“Shut up!” Kevin exclaimed while he high fived Veronica in some sort of a praise and Betty only rolled her eyes amused “Okay, proceed.”

“So, once we were done, we ate and then we went back on the road. A couple hours after she stopped in a motel and we crashed there.” She looked at Kevin “No kinky stuff happened there,” he looked disappointed “until the next morning, when I wake up to her going down on me” again, Kevin high-fived the brunette.

“Thanks for the graphics” Betty mumbled grossed out.

Veronica laughed at her friend little display of drama “Sorry Betts”

Kevin rolled his eyes “She’s just like that because she’s still a prude even after her marriage” he dismissed.

“It’s not like that Kevin--" Betty started getting angry, she hated being called prude or anything of the kind when she was clearly dirtier than these two. Actually, maybe not like these two, but she came right after them in the ranking.

Veronica laughed, she knew that prude was definitely not a word to say about her best friend “No need to worry Betty” she tried to calm her friend “Anyway, where did I stop?”

“Cheryl Bombshell going down on you” Kevin replied with a malicious smile.

“Right,” she winked to the brown-haired boy “anyway, then after that we were on the road again and we stopped only around 2pm when we started to feel hungry” Kevin smile intensified “for actual food,” she pointed out firmly and he rolled his eyes “and after that we only stopped once we started to reach the west.” She turned to Betty “did you know that the Blossom’s own a resort in Utah?”

“Yeah, Polly mentioned something about Jason inheriting it instead of the maple syrup company, but nothing besides that” Betty replied, trying to think about any other information her sister may’ve shared with her.

“So, I didn’t know about it until we reached Utah and Cheryl took me there. It’s huge guys, seriously. It’s more like a country club, with golfing classes and pools and an open field, it’s just magnificent. And once we reached there, Cheryl was treated like she’s the very Queen Elizabeth II. She has her own suite to when she goes visit it and stuff. I really wanted to stay there for the rest of my days but she said we could only stay there for the night, so I haven’t got the chance to do anything, but guys, really, if it wasn’t owned by her family I can assure you I’d come back there.”

“Why couldn’t you guys stay?” Betty and Kevin asked at the same time “What’s the name?”

“It’s  _the Inn at Entrada_  Kev, you should definitely take Pierre there, he will absolutely love it. It looks like we’re in that old animation film with the cars that talk, from Disney, I don’t really remember the name” Kevin replies  _Cars_  “Yeah, that one. I don’t know, I think Pierre will love it. You should ask Polly to hook you up, it looks expensive, but I’m sure she can get you there without you even touching your wallet"

Kevin side-looked Betty and gave her a pleading smile

“Okay, I can talk to her. Maybe she’ll even hook Jug and I" she mumbled.

“But anyway, back to what I was saying, we couldn’t stay there because her family couldn’t know that she had ran away with her girlfriend and she was sure that if we stayed that long the employers would’ve said something to Penelope, so we left the next day. Not without of course, fucking all over her suite” she side-eyed Kevin that was writing a message to his boyfriend and smiled when she saw he paying attention again to what she was saying.

“After that we went to Nevada and we rented a room in a motel and stayed there till the end of that journey.” Her once bright smile while going back to what happened 10 years ago, faded as she remembered that she was getting to the end of it “We would leave sometimes to purchase food and stuff, but mostly we stayed in that room, cuddling, making out, fucking all day long. It’s like we were in a magical bubble where nothing could take away our happiness. Everything in that moment was about Cheryl and myself, together like we were one. It was the happiest time of my life.” She tried to suppress the tears, but a few stubborn ones fell down her face.

“Happier than when you met Anna Wintour?” Kevin asked surprised.  _How can some moment with anyone could be better than meeting Anna freaking Wintour?_

“Much happier. Anna was my idol, but Cheryl may have been the love of my life.”

“That’s so deep V.” Betty went forward and hugged Veronica. “I’m so sorry” the blonde whispered. They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Kevin texting his boyfriend, in a way of not getting in their way.

Veronica got out of Betty's embrace to clear the tears from her face. She reached out for her phone in the middle of the table and opened the camera app so she could check her mascara and thank god for waterproof makeup as she saw her reflection and how she was flawless as always if wasn't for her damp cheek.

"Guys," she called their attention while she still checking her appearance on the frontal camera "I'm going outside smoke a cigarette, I'll be right back" she smiled at them and kissed both of their cheeks on the way out.

When she got up she took her glass to refill it, she was already missing the alcohol in her system. She walked without a rush to the bar and took her time there deciding what she wanted to drink next, but ended up with wine again. It was a safe choice. She could drink it and still get lightly drunk without actually losing control. After all, she had a reputation to maintain.

So she asked for the bartender to fill her glass all the way, doesn't caring if it was of bad taste filling it all the way and carried herself to the front door of her old school gymnasium. She smiled politely towards everyone that passed by her until she reached outside.

Once outside she tried to find somewhere to place her glass and was already bending down to place it on the floor when she saw a girl leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette and decided to ask her to hold her glass while she lit her own cigarette.

"Hey" she muttered once she was close enough to the girl "could you hold my glass while I lit my cigarette, please?

"Sure" the girl answered without even seeing who was and accepted the glass that was given "Hold up, Veronica?" she more said astonish than asked when she took a good look to who she was talking to.

"Yes?!" Veronica said without taking her eyes from the search inside her purse for her pack of cigarettes.

"You don't remember me?" the girl asked "Of course not, you only had eyes for Cheryl" she remarked amused and that comment alone was enough to make Veronica look up.

It took her more than a second or two to figure out who it was "Tina?" she tried.

"What? No!!!" the girl was quick to say "I know we used to walk together and all but we look nothing like each other... I'm Ginger"

"Oh yeah, right, Ginger" Veronica smiled to the former River Vixen "How are you?" she lowered her eyes again to confirm if what she reached in her purse was in fact the pack of cigarettes.

"Nothing much" the girl replied dryly "How about you?"

Veronica lit her cigarette and gave it a big drag "Nothing much" she repeated and stuffed back the things back to her purse before reaching for her glass and Ginger gave it.

"C'mon Lodge, everyone knows you're one of the few that made it big outside Riverdale" she insisted and Veronica only smiled guiltily before sipping from her wine "So, what do you think about doing me tonight?"

Veronica started to cough almost choking on her wine "What?" she inquired incredulous at the girl bluntly.

"It's not like you've never thought about it" Ginger stated as a matter of fact "Besides, are we, the single ones, not suppose to sleep with anyone that's available at this kind of get-together?"

Veronica started to laugh "Whoa, who said I ever wanted to fuck you?" she gave the girl a quizzical and amused look.

"I heard you saying it to one of the girls in the locker room after practice one time. It was before you and Cheryl, and don't even try do deny it" she stared Veronica with a smirk daring her to say the opposite and the New Yorker thought it was to funny not to go with the flow

"Okay, I can't really say I remember anything from 2 hours ago, let alone 11 years, but if you're saying than it must be true" she muttered getting closer to the former cheerleader "But tell me, what makes you want to sleep with me?" she asked honestly too interested in the other sudden offer to noticed that one last alumni had arrived and was watching the exchange with an uneasy expression.

"Because Dita von Teese, Ginger always wanted everything I had" the girl behind them snapped before Ginger had the chance to give Veronica an answer.

Veronica's head turned so fast to look at the owner of the voice that if Kevin would've seen he'd most definitely make a remark about how she looked like the girl from the Exorcist.

“Cheryl?” Veronica whispered, mesmerized with what she was seeing. She was _not_ expecting to see the redhead after 3 hours of delay. She had come to terms that she was not going to see Cheryl today or ever for that matter and that made her relax a little to try and have a nice time. So yeah, she was definitely freaking out right now, seeing her ex-girlfriend when she was clearly flirting with the girl’s former best friend. _What was wrong with her?_

Cheryl turned to look at her used-to-be minion "Hello Ginger" she said and even though her voice carried no emotion, she managed to give her a sincerely smile. It's been so long since she last saw the girl or even the other half, Tina.

Ginger stepped away from Veronica the minute she saw the former captain of the River Vixens standing right next to her "Oh my gosh, it's that Cheryl Blossom I see?" she went to give the redhead a hug “Girl, you have to tell me all about Hollywood ASAP.”

Cheryl laughed at the girl’s enthusiasm “Oh dear, I’ll will. But right now, I’d really like to catch up with our Prom Queen, would you mind if I steal her for a little bit? I promise to give her back to you by the stroke of midnight” she tilted a smirk to Ginger “So you two can finish whatever I just obviously interrupted” she finished with poison in her voice disguised as innocence, not even bothering to glance at Veronica to see her reaction.

Ginger rolled her eyes and tossed her cigarette now finished on the ground and stepped back to go back to the gymnasium, not without leaving a little peck in the brunette’s face, knowing that it'd bother Cheryl. Veronica just looked incredulous towards the girl that left.

Cheryl rolled her eyes annoyed at the girls shocked face “Please Veronica, don’t try and deny it. I can read you from a mile away, you were working your way with her. And even though I'm a little bit disappointed that you, of all people would settle for one of my minions, I'm still not at all surprised.”

Veronica just signed and licked her lips before bringing her glass to her mouth and finished her wine in one sip. She really hoped the alcohol would help her with this “catching up” she was about to do. She turned and started to walk towards the door, but a hand grabbed her arm stopping her.

“No, once we go there people will try and get to talk to me and I really wanna talk to you first, Veronica” she muttered with a pleading tone “Let’s go to the lunch tables” she suggested and started guiding them and Veronica just followed quietly.

She took the time to inspect the girl. She was a little taller since the last time she saw her and her hair just a few inches shorter. But it was back to red and Veronica was happy for that, because in the actress's latest project she had dyed her hair blonde for the part. Veronica thought she looked stunning as ever when she watched it, but she still favored her natural red hair.

Once they reached the tables they sat facing each other. Veronica placed her purse and glass on the table and took another cigarette from her pack and lit it. She couldn't stop herself from remembering when they first met. 

She would never forget the first time she saw Cheryl Blossom, walking towards this very table to “welcome” her to the school, in her very first day in Riverdale High. She was so mesmerized by the cheerleader shine hair that she was barely paying any attention to what was being said.

“I didn’t know you smoked” Cheryl commented quietly, Veronica just shrugged and they stayed like that for a long time. Veronica smoking and looking anywhere but the girl in front of her and Cheryl staring the brunette, hoping that it would make her crack and start talking.

“Ronnie” Cheryl said once she had enough of the silence and Veronica stared her, with a tightness in her heart at hearing her nickname.

Cheryl looked expectantly to Veronica but the girl seemed  like she'd rather stay silent, so she signed before asking “How you’ve been Veronica?”

Veronica took her time before answering “I’m good Cheryl, how about you?”

“Oh, you know how stressful a celebrity life is, but I’m doing just fine, thank you for asking” Cheryl replied sincerely with a small smile. Veronica nodded lightly but didn’t reciprocate the smile, just brought her cigarette again between her lips “It’s been a long time Ronnie” her voice sounded tired and Veronica felt the same way.

“I know” was all Veronica said.

“You know,” Cheryl started, hoping that a light talk would relax and make the brunette start speak “I’ve seen you about 4 years ago, in one of the Pussycats concerts in the MSG. We were both in the VIP lounge, but you were on the other side” Veronica looked her quizzically, trying to remember it “I was going to say hi, but you seemed to be having a great night with a blonde model, so I decided to keep my distance.” the redhead smiled, showing that she finds the memory amusing rather than uncomfortable.

“I don’t remember seeing you” Veronica admitted, she would of course remember if she saw Cheryl any day of her life. Now she just felt embarrassed for making out with a random girl in front of the former cheerleader. “If I had I’d have talked to you” she said honestly.

Cheryl smiled “Of course you would Ronnie” she replied, because she really meant it. She knew that if the brunette had seen her that day, she’d have stopped whatever,  _whoever_  she was doing to talk to Cheryl, because that’s how sweet Veronica used to be.

“If I say now that I’m sorry,” Veronica tried cautious after finishing her cigarette “for everything that happened back then, would you believe me?” she didn’t meet Cheryl’s gaze across the table, instead she decided to play with the glass on the table.

“I can hear in your voice that you are telling the truth. But even if I wasn’t able to hear it, I’d take your word for it Veronica.” She took the brunette’s hand from the glass and grasped between her own, making the girl look at her “I’m past all of that. It took me awhile to come to terms with it, but I’ve finally done it.” She squeezed Veronica’s hand “I forgive you for everything that happened, Veronica Lodge.”

Hearing it made Veronica start to openly cry. She used her free hand to wipe the tears from her face, embarrassed with the display of weakness in front of the redhead.

“Why?” Veronica asked between sobs, not getting how Cheryl could forgive her. She was definitely not ready for this answer. She was actually ready to get on her knees and beg for the redhead’s forgiveness. “After all the shit I’ve done? How are you so cool with it?”

Cheryl stood up and went to sit beside the other girl and took the other girl's hand between her own once again “Veronica, it’s been 10 years since it all happened. If after all this time I still felt some kind of hate towards you I’d still be the spoiled rebel girl I was when I first met you. But I’m not. I’ve changed, thank goodness” she smiled when Veronica intertwined their fingers “And well, I believe that bad things happens for a reason, and we can try and make some good of what is left. And that’s what I did. I focused all my angry into acting and look where I’m now? I’m much more than I thought I’d be when I graduated high school. And while I can’t exactly say that it’s thanks to you, I can definitely point out that if you haven’t done what you did I’d not be where I am now, so in a very strange way I’m grateful for it” she ended titling her head to the side, like considering what she was saying.

“But I ruined this” she eye-pointed to their hands together “ _us_.”

“I know, but I truly think it was not meant to be,  _we_  were not meant to be.” She urged to correct once she saw the hurt expression on her ex-girlfriend face “At least not back then, I mean, I remember how we used to fight all the time, we would rarely agree with each other, Ronnie. We were kind toxic together.” Veronica barely nodded and Cheryl smiled to that.

She meant what she said about how they weren’t meant to be together when they dated, but if someone offered her the chance to go back on time and change everything the only answer she would give this person's a big 'NO' in capital letters. She would never change what happened between them, not even the break up. Because like she said, _everything happens for a reason_.

“You remember the last thing you said to me?” Cheryl asked, eager to know if the brunette remembered the things she made Cheryl promise her.

Veronica nodded “I asked you to remember me, remember our last week and everything that happened,  _the good part_. Remember when we watched the sunset together and how you liked that I was wearing your favorite dress and you told me how you’ve--“

“Never seen anything more beautiful than that, yeah” Cheryl interrupted, remembering what she had said and smiled fond of the memory. She would never forget that day. It was the last full day they’ve spend together before everything crumbled.

“I asked you to not stop dreaming about us, about me. Even if it’s was just in your wildest dreams” Veronica remembered.

“And then you’ve left me in that stinky motel, all by myself” Cheryl mumbled without any sign of anger or regret or anything bad.

Veronica brought her free hand to hide her face, she felt so ashamed for what she did “I’m so sorry Cheryl”

“C’mon Ronnie” she took the other girl’s hand that was in her face and hold it with hers together with the other “I thought we’ve already gone through this, no more apologies”

“Sorry” Veronica replied automatically and Cheryl gave her a pointed look but let it go.

“But tell me about your life, how’s everything? How’s Hermione and Hiram?” Cheryl tried changing the subject, she got what she wanted and now she was ready to move on from her past. So why not start asking about the girl’s new life?

Veronica smiled grateful for the change “They’re good, living in Melbourne at the moment. Never sticking to one place. Daddy’s taking his promise about living life at its fullest since everything happened really serious. I miss them, but I’m happy they’re enjoying life” she said nostalgically. She missed her parents more than she cared to admit “How about Penelope and Clifford Blossom?”

“I’m happy for them.” Cheryl always liked her ex-parents-in-law, they were always nice and respectful with her, even though their families had a feud. The same could not be said about her family “Well, to begin with there’s no Penelope and Clifford Blossom anymore. Father filled for a divorce after mother lost it in one of the twins birthdays.”

“I’m sorry to hear about it Cher” Veronica didn’t even realize the nickname she had just called Cheryl, but the redhead noticed and suppressed a smile “I’ve always thought they were in for the big run”

“And they were… for a while. But it’s for the best. Mother’s really overcome herself. In the first years of the twins she tried to control them at all costs, trying to transform them into what Jason and I used to be, but Jason wasn’t having it so he moved away with Polly. But after the divorce mother moved to Albany, where JayJay’s living and well, what can I say? If Penelope Boltt isn’t trying to ruin someone’s life then she’s not herself. I just feel sorry for little Mason and Sophie growing up with such a horrible grandmother. Spending time with your nana is one of the best parts of your childhood. I wish they could’ve had Nana Rose as their grandmother”

At the mention of the Blossoms matriarch she remember when Betty told her that she’d passed away only a couple of years after she’d break up with Cheryl “Oh, I’ve heard about it. I’m sorry for your loss Cheryl, truly. She was one of a kind.”

The redhead nodded and smiled thankful “She really was, and she always liked you. She used to say that what we had I wouldn’t find anywhere else, and I was forbidden to ever lose you. But it’s not like it was my choice” Veronica found herself feeling guilty again and the redhead notice it “Don’t you dare say the ‘S’ word again Veronica Lodge”

“Sor-- Never mind” the brunette smiled amused and lowered her eyes to their hands, still intertwined. She liked how Cheryl’s hands felt with her own. She couldn’t really remember how it used to feel, but still somehow, she missed it.

Then Veronica’s cellphone started to ring and she unclasped one of their hands to reach for it. She saw two new messages from Betty: “ _Where are you V?”_ “ _Kev and I went looking for you when you didn’t come back and you are not outside. Answer me ASAP_ ”

She replied with a short “ _Something came up, I’ll see you in a bit x V._ ”, opting to leave it simple and definitely not mentioning that she ran into Cheryl, knowing well that her best friend would freak the hell out, especially after hearing everything Veronica told today.

“Ronnie?” Cheryl muttered tentatively trying to get the brunette’s attention again. She smiled when the girl’s eyes were locked with hers again, she didn’t even bother to reply, she just nodded slightly her head, letting the girl know that she had her full attention “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course” Veronica whispered with a reassuring smile.

Cheryl opened her mouth a feel times but close it every time, not knowing how to voice her question. In the end she chose to ask away, like ripping off a band-aid “Have you ever felt again, for anyone, what you felt for me?” her voice carrying unvoiced hope.

Veronica for the second time that evening was too surprised, leaving her speechless. She wasn’t sure what she was suppose to say. She didn’t know if Cheryl wanted a correct answer like some sort of a test or just plain honesty, so she opted for the last “I’ve had my flings but nothing like what we had. I think I’m not relationship material” she admitted with a little laugh “You?”

“No” the answer came right away, taking Veronica a little by surprise. She wasn’t sure of what to say.

“C’mon Cheryl, what about your relationship with that Justine girl that you acted with in that Baz Lurhrmann movie?” Veronica inquired not noticing what she had just said “You two were in every Us Weekly, OK! Magazine and TMZ. You guys seemed very much in love” she pointed, trying to mask her bitterness.

Cheryl forgot for a minute what they were actually saying to remark on what Veronica had just said “Oh my god, did Veronica Lodge, the girl that broke-up with me just admitted she stalked me all these years?” she mocked very much amused.

Veronica just wanted to dig a hole on the ground and hide herself. She was mortified to admit something she made sure to hide from her friends in this last 10 years to only say it like it was no big deal to the only person that for all that's sacred in this world couldn’t know about it.

She recomposed herself and tried to sound the most casual she could “Don’t flatter yourself Cheryl, I was just doing my job working in a magazine” she lied “And you always knew that Baz Luhrmann is one of my favorites directors, of course I'd watch his work” that was true.

And Cheryl in fact knew that, after all she spent numerous nights at her ex-girlfriend’s apartment watching the Red Curtain trilogy. So when offered her the role to one of his works, she accepted it without even knowing what it was about. She heard his name and she said a big loud ‘yes’ knowing too well that the girl standing now next to her was definitely going to watch it.

And even though Cheryl knew Veronica was lying about just being her job as an employee of a magazine, she decided to let it go “Anyway, no, it was fake. One of those PR-elationship to promote the movie, you know how these things work in Hollywood. But I absolutely adore her.” she smiled thinking about her friend. One of the few good people that there are in Hollywood “But no, I never felt what I still feel for you” she slipped casually and close her eyes, afraid of the other’s reaction.

Veronica just signed. _Fuck_ “Why are you telling me this now?” she inquired a little bit annoyed.

Cheryl opened her eyes and saw brown one’s looking back, full of confusion “I don’t know Veronica. I think I needed to voice this out at least one time or I was going to go crazy” she admitted “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t said anything” she regret saying it. _Why did she opened her big mouth?_ Now things were back to the awkwardness stage.

“No” Veronica was quick to say once she saw Cheryl stirring in her place to stand up “You don’t need to say sorry” she added reassuring “It’s just-- I don’t get why this now. When we have our own life going own. You in LA and I in the other side of the country. What you expected to happen?” the brunette asked honestly.

“I don’t know Ronnie. Like I said, I just felt like I needed to tell you. That even after all it happened to us that last week, that even after you left me behind to pursue your dreams I still feel the same way, maybe not with the same intensity after 10 years apart, but the same feeling all the way.”

Veronica signed with resignation, not wanting to cause a fight between then, now that they were back talking “You meant it?” she asked voice sounded confused and hopeful at the same time. She needed to know for sure.

“Of course I mean it, Lula Mae turned-out Holly Golightly. I may have changed, but I still have my pride and I wouldn’t waste my time here telling you this when I could be inside that gymnasium being praised by everyone.”

Veronica didn’t think, she just leaned forward and set her mouth firmly against the redhead’s. She brought her hands to the nape of the girl’s neck while her other hand hold Cheryl’s waist. The redhead’s answer was instantly. With one hand she brought to the brunette’s face, caressing it— she missed how soft it was. And the other hand was pressed against Veronica’s chest, feeling it’s heartbeat.

What was initially just a press of lips turned to be a rough make-out session, with tongues battling for dominance— which Cheryl eventually won. Both using it to try and say how much they’ve missed their other half. Eager and now more experienced hands exploring each other’s body, and even though it felt like an eternity since the last time they’ve done something like that, it all felt too familiar.

Neither Veronica or Cheryl knew how long they’ve stayed like that, re-discovering each other. Nor they knew how Veronica ended up sitting in Cheryl’s lap in all of that, but once they found strength to separate their mouths, Veronica rested her forehead against the girl's underneath her.

“I love you” Veronica admitted "I've missed you so much" was all she as able to whisper before Cheryl resumed to kiss her, too happy with this confession to do anything else.

* * *

 

Betty was sitting next to her husband in a table with Archie and Valerie, Melody and her boyfriend, Josie and Kevin remembering things they used to do when they were in high school, when she heard Kevin gasp ‘ _Oh my God_ ’, clearly shocked with something he was seeing happening right behind her.

Every face in the table turned to see the most déjà-vu thing they’d see that night: in their full glory, Veronica Lodge and Cheryl Blossom entering the place, so close to each other that one could day they were glued somehow. Smiling like it was no big of a deal. It felt like the prom all over again, when the two entered the ball like they ruled the place. _Riverdale High’s very power couple_.

And suddenly wasn’t only their friend's table eyes that were on them, but everyone's on the premise was staring, included one not so surprised Ginger Lopez.

“They stole our title of ‘Riverdale power couple’” both Jughead and Archie remarked to their respective wife and fiancée and everyone started to laugh, cause Riverdale may be old and boring, but sometimes, just sometimes, greater things happened here.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact: baz luhrmann's my fav director <3  
> fun fact²: the resort i mentioned it's the real place from the one showed in high school musical 2, so you're welcomed if you always wanted to know about it.
> 
> tell me if y'all want me to create a trilogy of it (prequel and sequel to this fic) or nah, kudos and comments are always more than welcomed, you guys help me keep sane with your feedback (trust me)
> 
> hit me on tumblr and let's talk about this addictive thing called riverdale @verxnicablossom (im open to receive prompts) xx


End file.
